Electronic apparatus, control method and program thereof, and battery for operating electronic apparatus

Abstract

An electronic apparatus using a fuel cell as at least one electric power source. The fuel cell has an electric power output unit for outputting an electric power through a chemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas, a purge device for purging the electric power output unit and a purge control unit for issuing a purge instruction to the purge device. The electronic apparatus has a monitor unit for monitoring a consumption power, an operation state or a manipulated state of the electronic apparatus, and a purge permission unit for judging from an output of the monitor unit whether the purge control unit is permitted to issue the purge instruction, and outputting a judgment result to the purge control unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus capable of using a fuel cell as a power source, and its control method and program, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus mounting a fuel cell which recovers a power generation efficiency through purge, and its control method and program.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Presently, there are many apparatus which can operate by a power supply from a battery. Among these apparatus, an apparatus capable of being used outdoors has a big issue of a battery life of power supply.[0003]In the following, description will be made by referring to a digital camera as one example of electronic apparatus capable of being used outdoors.[0004]In a generally known digital camera, an object image taken through a photographing is photoelectrically converted by an image pickup device into an image signal, the image signal is A / D converted and recorded on a recording medium, and an image can be displayed on a built-in liquid crys...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an electronic apparatus capable of purging a fuel cell at an optimum timing suitable for the apparatus state, its control method and program, and a battery for operating the electronic apparatus.

Problems solved by technology

Among these apparatus, an apparatus capable of being used outdoors has a big issue of a battery life of power supply.

Therefore, a consumption power becomes large and it is required to have a battery capable of supplying a sufficient energy.

While compactness and lightness of cameras advance, conventional primary and secondary batteries are becoming difficult to supply cameras with a sufficient drive energy.

This is because water generated by a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen diffuses in a reverse direction to the fuel electrode and reduces a power generation area, and in addition, gas unnecessary for power generation remains at the fuel electrode and lowers a hydrogen partial pressure.

For example, if the timing when the fuel cell is purged is superposed upon the timing when the electronic apparatus requires a relatively large power, the power necessary for the electronic apparatus cannot be drawn from the fuel cell, and there arises a problem of an insufficient power of the electronic apparatus.

If an electronic apparatus is remained unused for a long term, fuel gas leaks minutely from the fuel electrode of a fuel cell, so that a hydrogen concentration on the fuel electrode side falls.

When the fuel cell is thereafter activated, there arises a problem that it takes a long time to raise the output voltage to a necessary voltage.

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